Warning signal for vehicles



May 5, 936. J. W. STALEY 2,039,360

WARNING SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed Nov. 5 1954 Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARNING SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES J. Wayne Staley, Mount Pulaski, Ill.

Application November 3, 1934, Serial No. 751,342

4 Claims. (Cl. 177-337) This invention relates to warning signals for Vehicles, and has for an object, the provision of novel means and electric circuits for controlling and operating a light signal in conjunction or in connection with a sound signal, or broadly stated, the use of visual and audible signals for vehicles or automotive Vehicles such as automobiles, air craft, or railway trains.

For purposes of illustration, the invention is here shown and described as applied to an automobile.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel means and circuits for controlling and operating a plurality of visible and audible signals simultaneously from a single source by one operation.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for selectively controlling and operating from a single source one or more visible signals simultaneously with one or more audible signals or for operating the visible signals independently of the audible signals 0r vice versa.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel combination of the parts or apparatus and in the electric circuits and control therefor, shown in preferred embodiments in the attached drawing, described in the following specifications and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the illustrations:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a circuit and apparatus embodying my invention as applied to an automobile.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic illustration of circuit and a combined selector switch and push button operator.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the selector switch and push button operator.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the combined switch portion, showing the limit pin and arcuate slot therefor.

In the illustrations:

X indicates a switch or push button; Y indicates a three position selector switch; Z indicates a relay; A indicates signal lights; B indicates horns or other sound devices; and C indicates a battery or other source of electric energy.

In the circuit shown in Fig. l, the switch or push button X is connected through the conductor Ill to one of the post connections of the relay Z and the other post connection of the relay is grounded to the frame of the Vehicle. The

conductor II connects the other terminal contact of the switch X with the positive terminal of battery C. 'I'he negative terminal of the battery being grounded.

The light signals A are grounded through con- '5:

ductors I2 and their other terminals are connected through conductors I3 to the movable switch arm I4, which is adapted to contact either terminal I5 or terminal I6 of the switch.

The switch terminal I5 is connected through 10' conductor I'I to a movable terminal I8 of the relay Z, and the terminal I 6 is connected through conductor I9 to terminal 20 of the relay.

Each of the horns B has one connection ground through a conductor 2I and the other connecl5 tions of the horns B are connected through conductor 22 to terminal 23 of the relay Z and a co-operating terminal 24 of the relay is connected through the conductor 25 to the positive terminal of the battery C. The positive terminal of the 20 battery C is also connected through conductor 26 to the terminal I6 ofthe switch Y and with the terminal 20 of the relay through its connection with the conductor I9.

Through the circuit and devices shown in Fig. 25 l, three operations of the system are possible, namely:

Operation 1.-When the switch arm I4 of switch Y is in neutral position, as shown in full line, the circuit to the lights A is open, hence an 30v operation of the push button switch X will close the battery circuit through relay Z and through its terminals 23 and 24 causing an operation of the horns B only.

Operation 2.-When arm I4 of switch Y is 35 moved into position to close the circuit through terminal I5 as shown by the dotted lines, an operation of the push button switch X will close the battery circuit through relay Z and through its terminals 23 and 24, and through its terminals 40 I8 and 2B thus causing a simultaneous operation of both light and horn signals.

Operation 3 When arm I4 of switch Y is moved into position to close the circuit through terminal I6, as shown by the dotted lin-es, an 4,5 operation of the light signals A will be immediately effected without the use of the switch X since the circuit for the lights A will be closed to the battery through conductors I9 and 26. An operation of switch X will cause the operation of 50 the horn B in conjunction with the light signals A if so desired.

My invention contemplates the use of sound o-r audible devices which are adapted to be operated by electric current, vacuum or air pressure 55 Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, which illustrate the combined selector switch and push button operator as applied to the end of a steering post 30, a cylindrical body member 3| is provided which is screw-mounted to the end of the steering post 33. The body 3| is cast with a cross wall 3GA which is provided with a central opening to receive the movable tubular switch member 32.

The tubular switch member 32 of electrically non-conductive Vmaterial is provided with an interior cross wall 32A having a central opening for a push button pin 33 the upper end of which is enlarged as at 33A and secured within the push button head 34.

The tubular switch member 32 Vis also provided with a circular lateral flange 32B which is rotatably supported on top of the body member V3 I.

A central apertured cap 35 is screw-mounted on the body member 3l and retains the flange 32B against vertical displacement.

A plug 36 maybe screw-mounted within the lower end of the tubular member 32 as a closure member.

The enlarged pin portion 33A extends through a central opening within circular disk operator 31 for the tubular switch member 32, which switch member 32 is secured to the disk 31 by its screw engagement with the circular vcollar 31A of the disk 31.

Within the supporting body member 3l, I mount a cylindrical member 38 of electrically non-conductive material which is securely held in place by a ring 39 screw-mounted in the lower end of member 3|.

The cylindrical member 38 is formed with a lateral wall 38A at one end thereof and is provided with a central opening for the tubular switch member 32.

Mounted within the memberr38-and to its cylinderwall are a pair of spring contact plates 40 and 4I to which are secured respectively conductors IIJ and II, see Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The contact plate 4I is normally held in spaced or open switch position and is adapted to be moved into closed position in contact with plate 40 by means of a pin 42 which is slidable through thewall of the tubular switch member 32 by means of its pivotal connection with a small bell crank 43 which is pivotally supported on the inside of the member 32 and provided with a forked end for engagement about the pin 33 between a pair of nuts thereon.

The push button 34 performs the same function as push button X in the circuit in Fig. 1, and is normally held in raised or open position by means of a coil spring 44 interposed between the wall 32A and the enlarged pin portion 33A.

The electrically non-conductive support 38 is also provided with three spaced spring contacts I5, 21 and I6 to which are connected respectively conductors I1, I3 and I9.

A movable contact spring 45 fixed to the exterior of member 32 is adapted to be moved into position to close the circuit between contacts I5 and 21 or between contacts I6 and 21. When the contact 45 is only in contact with the contact 21 the switch is in neutral or open position and this position corresponds to the position of the switch arm I4 of switch Y, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

The two positions of the switch contact 45, wherein the circuit is closed between contacts I5 and 21 or between contacts I6 and 21, are controlled by the movement of the disk 31 and its interconnected switch member 32 within the limits of the movement of pin 46 with the arcuate slot 41 of the cap 35, see Figs. 3 and 5. The pin 46 being securely mounted within the flange 32B.

It is believed that the operation of the combined selector switch and push button will be readily understood from the above description and diagram of the circuit in Fig. 2.

The use of the relay Z in the circuits shown permits the battery leads to be of the least possible length thus reducing the resistance to the I prefer to use a relay with two sets of contacts to permit the light and sound devices to operate over separate parallel paths to thus reduce the circuit resistance to a minimum, since many of the modern types of sound devices have a comparatively highcurrent drain and circuit resistance interfered with tone, pitch and tuning.

While the relay might be omitted in the circuits shown, unusually heavy conductors would be required for the simultaneous operation of both light and sound devices.

The visual or light signals may be mounted on the vehicle in any desired location thereon, as for instance on the front and rear ends and on the sides thereof, and the lights may be of any desirable color, as for instance amber, orange, yellow or green.

I claim:

1. In a circuit for warning signals for vehicles, a Visual signal, an audible signal, a relay having two sets of contacts, a battery, a three position switch, a push button switch, said visual signal and audible signal and relay and battery having connections with a common ground element, a conductor connecting said visual signal with a movable switch arm of said three position switch, a conductor connecting said audible signal with one connection of one of said sets of relay contacts and a conductor connecting the other connection of said one of said sets of relay connections with the battery, a conductor connecting said push button switch with a terminal of said relay, a conductor connecting said push button switch with said battery, said three position switch having a pair of contacts, a pair of separate conductors connecting said pair of three position switch contacts with a pair of contacts on said relay, and a conductor connecting one of said conductors of said three position switch -with said battery.

2. In warning signal devices for vehicles having an audible signal and a visual signal, a circuit including a single source of energy, a three position double Contact selector switch, and a single contact push button switch, said circuit being so arranged that when said selector switch is in neutral position the audible signal is adapted to be operated by said push button switch, said selector switch being adapted to be moved to a contact position to operate the visual and audible signals by operation of the push button switch, and when said selector switch is moved to another contact position, other than said neutral or first named contact positions, said push button switch being adapted to solely and simultaneously operate both visual and audible signals.

3. In a circuit as embodied in claim 2, and including a double contact relay providing separate parallel energy paths for said audible and visual signals to thereby lower the circuit resistance to a minimum.

4. In warning signal devices for vehicles having an audible and a visual signal, a circuit including a single source Vof energy, a double contact selector switch, a double contact relay providing separate parallel energy paths for said audible and visual signals to thereby lower the circuit resistance to a minimum, and a single contact push button switch, said circuit being so arranged that When the selector switch is moved to one contact position both audible and visual signals may be simultaneously operated only by said push button switch, a movement of said selector switch to the other contact position will cause an operation of the visual signal independently of said audible signal and an operation thereafter of the push button switch will cause 5 

